Sweet Little Lies
by mydoctortennant
Summary: Morgana notices that Arthur is lying about something... Arthur/Gwen


Morgana Le Fay had known Arthur Pendragon since the day he was born. She had lived with him and his father for over half of her relatively short life and she had spent the majority of that time trying to make the Prince's life as difficult as possible. Mainly because _he_ annoyed _her_ at any given opportunity.

It wasn't until long after his crowning ceremony that the pair of them could even bare to be in the same room with the other without all out war breaking out.

After the Vivian escapade, Morgana noticed a change in him. A more significant change than after the jousting tournament he wasn't a part of. The attack of the assassin had given Arthur a little bit more humility. He had started to fight for what he thought was right and defy his father _whenever_ he saw fit, not just for the good of those close to him.

Morgana had known something was up when the old Arthur, cocky and arrogant, had returned. Whatever it was that had happened, when he had snapped back to his senses, Morgana found him more bearable again. His arrogance had been replaced by a more sombre character. Better though this was, after two days of his monosyllabic depressive funk, he served to annoy Morgana once again. He couldn't possibly be upset about the departure of her royal pain in the backside, could he?

"Gwen, I think I will take my dinner with Arthur tonight," Morgana informed her maidservant that afternoon.

"Does he know this, my lady?" Gwen asked, trying her hardest not to look amused about her mistress' sudden interest in the Prince.

"Would I be eating there if he did?" both females laughed, it was true, Arthur would probably come up with a reason to miss dinner altogether if it meant avoiding eating with Morgana, "Find out from Merlin when Arthur intends on eating, and I shall miraculously turn up at the same time."

"Is there any reason for this, my lady?" Gwen asked, knowing full well that Morgana would rather eat alone then with the Prince under normal circumstances.

"I think it is high time Arthur and I had a conversation."

Arthur sat enjoying his dinner, Merlin inanely chattering away to his right. The servant had been near insfferable for days. His stupidly happy grin hadn't disappeared even after the long list of chores Arthur had barked at him.

"I think it's fan-"

"Merlin! I don't care what you think!" Arthur snapped stabbing a piece of sausage violently.

"But-"

This time Merlin's train of thought was interrupted by the door opening with Morgana entering unannounced. Arthur swallowed, with Morgana surely came- he spotted her entering behind her mistress, her gaze averted from his watching the tray she was carrying intently.

"Morgana?" Arthur questioned as the female sat opposite him at the table.

"That will be all," Morgana said to her serving girl as she rested the tray of food before her, "Take the rest of the night off, Gwen," Gwen nodded her head at her mistress and turned to leave the room without so much as casting a glance towards Arthur. He frowned, Morgana missing it for turning to the manservant, "You too Merlin."

Merlin thanked her and sprightly took off towards the door without asking Arthur if there was was anything else he needed. He had his dinner, Merlin had polished every last bit of armour, including all the helmets on show in his master's chambers. He's cleaned out the stables, fed the dogs, buffed and polished all the leather in his wardrobe and his horses tack. There wasn't anything he'd left unfinished that wasn't a usual chore.

"Morgana, Merlin is _my_ servant-"

"Who does so much for you that he deserves a night off," she cut in. Merlin was already gone and he hassle of calling him back wasn't something Arthur needed right now, not with Morgana intent on sitting with him.

"Now he will run to you whenever he disagrees with me," Arthur uttered disheartened, he didn't need Merlin defying him more than he already did.

"Indeed, but Merlin is not who I am here to discuss," Morgana stated matter-of-factly, cutting into her meal.

"And you are here to discuss?"

"You."

"Me?" Arthur's hand paused half way to his mouth, a forkful of his dinner hovering before he dropped his hand back done to the table.

"You can't honestly be this upset over Vivian leaving."

"Who said I'm upset."

"You're puppy dog eyes, Arthur, it's one of the most pitying things I've ever seen, and frankly, I've had enough of seeing it. It's depressing everybody, including Gwen, and she is the happiest person I know. The only person who seems cheered by your fowl mood is Merlin Lord knows why, you've been working him harder than ever. Gwen has been helping him."

"Has she?"

"Don't pretend to be interested, Arthur, it doesn't become you," she chastised, lifting a few green beans into her mouth, "I'd still love to know what you've done to upset her, of all people."

"I don't know what you're on about Morgana, the only time I've seen her this last week was whilst introducing her to Vivian," he said, clearing his throat slightly. He shifted in his chair, sitting up and started to shovel unceremonious amounts of food into his mouth.

"Liar."

"I'm sorry?" he said through a mouthful.

"You're lying," she reiterated, raising an eyebrow at him to punctuate her point, "You forget, Arthur Pendragon, I know you. I know you better than most. I know when you're lying to me."

"What do you want?" he asked her after swallowing, narrowing his eyes at her and her impromptu intrusion.

"I want to know why your bad mood is reflected in my maid."

"And you assume I know because?" he tried his hardest to seem nonchalant, gesturing his hand as flippantly as he could manage.

"Because I know you're lying to me," the King's ward replied, eyeing Arthur suspiciously, "You've spoken to her more than once and we both know it."

"It's not my fault you cannot keep a track of your maid."

"You loaned her out to your dearest beloved," Arthur visibly cringed at the thought of Vivian. Whatever it was that had caused Arthur to turn into Prat of the Century over a girl, he really needed to explain it, so knowing what it was would have been usuful; "I've barely had contact with her. What did you do?"

"Why do you assume it was _me_," Morgana frowned, "What if it was her?" Her eyebrow went up again. What could Gwen possibly do to Arthur? What on Earth?

"What could Gwen do to you to make you so- oh," a sudden realisation hit Morgana, "You wouldn't dare."

"Dare do what, Morgana?" Arthur rested his elbows on the table and lean his chin into his hands, confusion etched on his face.

"She's the only maid in the castle who would dare refuse your _charms_," his adoptive-sibling stated as if it were God's given truth.

Arthur snorted; "What _are_ you on about?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense. I mean, she is gorgeous, and well-mannered but completely unafraid to put you in your place."

"You believe I think that little of her?" Arthur asked defensively, all his guard he had built over the last months was dripping away from him, and fast, "That I would expect her to give up her virtue because I say so?"

"Well if you won't tell me, what to you expect me to think?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because if it involves _my_ maid, it involves me."

"Does privacy mean nothing to you?"

"And what would you and my maid need to be private about, it's not like you're in love with her," she watched Arthur visibly swallow. The silence was suddenly awkward, tension you could cut with a knife. Slowly it dawned on her, "Oh," she managed after a minute, staring directly at the young prince, "_Oh_! You poor _idiot_."

"What?" Arthur replied, acting none the wiser, trying to ignore what Morgana had just said in attempt to gain composure.

"You're in love with Gwen-"

"No I'm not-"

"-I completely understand-"

"-Morgana-"

"-She'd be good for you-"

"-Morgana! I'm _not_ in love with Gwen," the tops of his ears were stained red. He shifted once again in his seat and dropped eye contact with the female as he told his flat lie.

A smile slowly grew on Morgana's face as she watched him uncomfortably stumble, now it all suddenly made sense, "Liar."


End file.
